


The Three Passcodes

by perlaret



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fairy Tale Curses, Fairy Tale Style, M/M, Past Relationship(s), True Love's Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-04-25 21:54:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14387886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perlaret/pseuds/perlaret
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a Princess who sent her most daring commander on a mission to break a curse, save her son, and return him home again.





	The Three Passcodes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [persephassax](https://archiveofourown.org/users/persephassax/gifts).



> Based somewhat on the prompt: 
> 
> "A canon story told somewhat like a fairy tale: Kylo/Ben is the "prince" who has been stolen away by an evil sorcerer (Snoke) and his General, and Poe is the Queen (Leia)'s trusted commander who has undertaken the mission of bringing him home.
> 
> Perhaps he sends present to Kylo, finds ways to meet up with him when he's been sent out on errands for Snoke, sneaks onto First Order bases and ships to meet up with him. Kylo is reluctantly charmed despite his attempts to rebuff the pilot's advances.
> 
> The ending can go either way: happily ever after, Poe succeeds and brings Ben home to much fanfare, or classic tragic fairy tale ending, where Poe fails and Kylo remains with the First Order (maybe something bad happens to both of them, I'm not sure)."

A long time ago, and far, far away, there was a princess without a kingdom. 

Though her youth had been filled with joy and great happiness, her planet had been destroyed by a cruel Empire, her people scattered, and many years of war had followed. The Princess was courageous and fought alongside many brave rebels, and in the end, the Empire was undone and dismantled thanks to their valiant efforts. Peace came after, much fought-for and richly deserved, and the Princess began a new life and she lived long and well for some time. But the happy ending she hoped for did not last, and tragedy continued to plague both her and her family. 

The evil Force-user Snoke, Supreme Leader of the First Order and adept in powers of the mind and the deceptions thereof, knew of the Princess and wished to undo all of the good she had done. He focused his devious abilities on her only son, sowing doubt and dissention and dismay, using his strange magic like a curse to whisper all sorts of falsities and untruths into the young man’s young, unguarded mind. His orchestrations were subtle but refined, and in the end Snoke tempted the Princess’s son away with his evil schemes and the promise of greatness and power.

The Princess was distraught and wished much for her son’s return, but she was faced only with further disappointment as the years wore on, for Snoke had woven his spells well. Her son became Snoke’s apprentice in the Dark Side and took a new name, and the Princess could not find him, and if he knew of it, her son would not acknowledge her search.

A new war began. Under the tutelage of Snoke, the son, known now as Kylo Ren, grew in strength and reputation for dark deeds. Though his father, Han Solo, the Princess’s husband, tried to reach him and bring him home it was to no avail, for Kylo Ren killed him under Snoke’s instructions and was driven deeper into shadow. The Princess mourned deeply when she received the news, and deeper still when her brother was lost as well.

It came to pass that the Princess called upon the aid of one of her best, most trusted commanders, for she was weary and driven close to desperation, though she refused to be overwhelmed by her grief. Commander Poe Dameron was clever and daring and hardy, a leader of the Resistance and most adept at flying, and had escaped Kylo Ren’s nefarious grasp in the past. The Princess hoped that perhaps he could be the one to turn her son away from the darkness and return him home.

“This is a dangerous task that I am giving you, full of risk, and others have failed before,” the Princess warned. “I am yet recovering from an attempt on my own life, which I narrowly escaped, and I cannot do this alone. Will you help me?”

Poe Dameron had seen for himself Kylo Ren’s misdeeds, and heard many tales of Snoke’s horrible powers, but he was very brave and not inclined to fear. “I will do this,” he said, for he was deeply loyal to the Princess and wished to see her happy, despite his anger with Kylo Ren’s wrongdoings, “and I will succeed where others have not.”

This task would not be easily accomplished, and Poe Dameron knew this, so he began to plan.

First, he required information, and so he sought out one who was most likely to have it. However, he was not met with enthusiasm. 

“Kylo Ren is very dangerous,” the droid C-3PO warned, “and you should not seek him out, for you may die.” C-3PO was both careful and incredibly wary, which made him an excellent spymaster, but perhaps a less excellent ally for missions that required daring and heroism, and Poe Dameron was both daring and heroic by nature. He was also not easily deterred.

“Please, Threepio,” he said. “The Princess needs our help, so if you have any information that could lead me to Kylo Ren, I must have it.”

C-3PO had served the Princess for many years, and so through his loyalty, he was swayed.

“I will provide you with Kylo Ren’s last known locations,” C-3PO said. “But the way ahead is treacherous, and if you meet him in person, then you may be ensnared by his dark powers. Take this.” Saying so, he provided Poe with a datacard and instructed him to keep it well, for it contained the means by which Poe could pass through the various safeguards and barriers utilized by the First Order. He said: “This information will serve you well, but use it sparingly, for when you have used each of the three passcodes contained herein once, they will be rendered useless and you cannot use them again.”

“I will do as you have advised, and I will not be caught,” Poe said, and thanked C-3PO greatly for his help.

In the course of his many adventures, Poe Dameron had learned the dangers of rushing too quickly into the fray, and so he decided that he should first understand both the nature of his opponents and the nature of his obstacles. Familiarizing himself with the resources at his disposal, he decided to use the first of the passcodes C-3PO had provided him. Locking himself away from prying eyes and using every means available to hide his own location, Poe summoned the use of a holo communications device, by which he could speak with the Princess’s son from afar.

It was not guaranteed to work, for it required not just the passcode that C-3PO had provided Poe, but also Kylo Ren’s acknowledgement and acceptance of the communique as well. Poe thanked the Force, because Kylo Ren could be both arrogant and curious, and so he knew he would be successful. And he was right, for the holocomm came to life and the blue-cast image of Kylo Ren himself took shape from its projector as the connection stabilized. Though his visage was scarred by battle and marked with rage and the weight of his evil deeds, he was still handsome, and Poe could see the semblance of his mother, the Princess, in Kylo Ren’s face. That countenance also carried with it a familiarity that Poe Dameron had longed to forget, for it made his heart ache, and his anger wax with old hurt.

“How did you obtain access to this communications channel?” Kylo Ren demanded. “You should not be able to use it, nor speak with me.”

“Ben Solo,” Poe Dameron said, for that was the name Kylo Ren had been given by his parents, and the name by which he had once been known. “You must abandon the First Order and come home. Leave Supreme Leader Snoke’s tutelage, forsake the Dark Side, and be your own master. Return to your family, for you are dearly missed.”

“I am Kylo Ren, and I have no family. I have no master, for my power in the Force is great, and Snoke is long dead already.” His demeanor was full of pride, his bearing as unyielding as that of a prince, but unkind, and he said: “I have taken Snoke’s place as Supreme Leader, and it is you who must abandon the Resistance, and surrender to the First Order’s rule.”

Poe was much surprised to hear this, for while there had been rumors of Snoke’s demise, they had borne the marks of wishful thinking and so Poe had discredited them. That Kylo Ren had chosen to remain as he was despite the absence of Snoke’s influence troubled Poe greatly, for Poe had heard many stories about the Dark Side, and how it could warp and change a person both beyond recognition and beyond reach. The momentous task that the Princess had given him would be far more difficult than either of them had hoped, but still Poe Dameron could not despair.

As such, Poe Dameron drew on all his resolve and said this: “I have faced you before, Kylo Ren, and I did not fear you then, and nor do I fear you now. I will not surrender, but instead I will sway your mind, and your heart as well, and you will come home.”

“You may try,” said Kylo Ren. “But if you do not surrender, then you will die, and I will kill you myself.” With that promise and threat made, Kylo Ren withdrew, and Poe knew that he would not be able to speak to him by that same means again.

Alone in his own thoughts, Poe grew troubled, for the Dark Side of the Force was foreign to him and there was much he did not understand. He knew he would require answers to his questions before he could face Kylo Ren again, or else he may be overcome, and Ren’s promise of death would be fulfilled. Knowing this, Poe sought out others that had confronted Kylo Ren before, that they might share their knowledge and prepare Poe for the venture ahead.

In time, Poe found Rey, who was strong in the Force and a friend of the Resistance, and had fought Kylo Ren more than once before. When he told her of his quest, Rey expressed first a warning. She said: “You should not seek to turn Kylo Ren, for he is dangerous and full of hate. I too have tried to sway his mind, and his heart also, but he did not listen, and has only grown in darkness and power since. If you face him again, you may fail, and be ensnared, and he will kill you.”

“The Princess has asked it of me, and so I must try,” Poe said. “I do not fear Kylo Ren, nor shall I fear failure. But I must know why it is that Kylo Ren lingers in darkness, though Snoke is dead, and refuses to leave the path he has chosen.”

“Snoke is dead by Ren’s own hand,” said Rey. “I see these words cause you surprise and great disbelief, but I saw this thing myself, with my own two eyes. Hear this: while you, Poe Dameron, are brave and know no fear, Kylo Ren is filled with it. There is nothing he dreads more than the binding ties of the past, and because of it, the future possibility of his own failures. It is a sad thing, but while Snoke is dead and gone, his works live on and haunt us all, but most especially the man once known as Ben Solo.”

“I hear you, and what you have told me lays clear the path by which I must go,” said Poe, for his heart was moved, and given surety with this knowledge. “But before I do, I must ask you again for your help, for Kylo Ren is powerful and I do not wish to be ensnared.”

Rey considered his words, and thought long of how she might be of assistance to him. “You do not have the Force as I do, and so it will be difficult, and imperfect at best. However, I was able to cut my mind away from his reach in the end, so I will teach you some things I have learned, that you may better protect your own mind against his devious works, and have a greater chance of surviving the danger ahead.”

Days passed, and when Poe was ready, he chose the second of the three passcodes C-3PO had provided him. With this one, he was able to slice again through the First Order’s security systems, and when it was done, he had the details for Kylo Ren’s most recently reported location. Calling forth his courage and readying his mind in the way Rey had taught him, Poe climbed aboard his starship, input the coordinates into the computer, and made the leap into hyperspace.

The journey was short, and the information sufficient, and with it Poe laid his trap. When it was ready, he set forth through the forest that covered this region of the planet on which had landed, and went to find Kylo Ren.

While Snoke’s reign had been defined by absence, his presence sealed away in the depths of his great and mighty flagship, Kylo Ren had yet to adopt such reclusion. In the daily course of overseeing his realm, Poe Dameron found his opportunity. He concealed himself for a time, and when Kylo Ren passed at the expected hour, Poe drew a blaster and revealed himself with a deadly shot.

The shot did not meet its mark, but Poe Dameron was not dismayed, for he expected this outcome. Kylo Ren was strong with the Force and had the ability to stop blaster bolts in their path, and he had done this in the past, as he did now. 

“How did you come to this place? You should not be here, nor be able to find me,” said Kylo Ren, and then he ordered his guards to shoot back, and to take Poe Dameron captive. However, Poe was already gone, for he had begun to flee as soon as he was sure he had been seen.

Poe retreated to the place that he prepared, and there he waited, for while he knew that Ren was Supreme Leader, he also knew that Kylo Ren could be as arrogant as he was powerful. It was for that reason that he would not leave the task of finding Poe to his soldiers, and so Poe was not alarmed when Kylo Ren arrived in the clearing he had chosen, for it was as he had predicted.

“You are unwise, and you should not have come,” said Kylo Ren, and he reached out, summoning forth his power in the Force. “I will do as I promised before, and end you now.”

Poe Dameron had been ensnared before by Kylo Ren’s abilities, among which was the capacity to make his limbs to seize and stall all movement. This time, however, he had Rey’s training to call upon, and in his mind he fought hard against Kylo Ren’s hold, until the constraints of his body loosened enough that Poe could press the button of the mechanism he had clipped to his belt. This released the barriers he had concealed about the perimeter of the glade, and with it, the creatures he’d hidden inside. 

Kylo Ren jumped back, furious and confused, for these creatures had the uncanny ability to neutralize the Force, which was the source of his power. “What have you done?” he yelled, greatly dismayed, looking about until his gaze fell upon one of the strange lizards Poe had brought to bear.

“The ysalamir can thwart you, and so for right now we are equals, and you cannot ensnare me with the Force,” said Poe, who quickly drew his blaster now that his freedom of movement had been restored. This was in good judgment, for Kylo Ren was armed as well, and he drew his fearsome lightsaber without hesitation. However, Kylo Ren was also now wary and cautious, for he did not know what other traps Poe may have set for him.

“My Stormtroopers are close behind, and you will be surrounded, Poe Dameron,” said Kylo Ren, and his voice trembled with anger and embarrassment. He began to circle about, and Poe took care to keep the distance between them, the blaster between raised between.

“Before that happens,” said Poe, “come away with me, Ben Solo, and let us leave this place together.”

“No,” said Kylo Ren. With his lightsaber, he slaughtered the first of the ysalamir, but it was to no avail, because there were others, and so their power did not wane.

Again, Poe implored: “Abandon the First Order and come home. Leave your farce as Supreme Leader, and forsake the Dark Side, for you are your own master and these things bring you no joy. Return to your family, for you are dearly missed.” And because Rey’s words to him were still close in Poe’s memory, he thought of the past, which Kylo Ren feared, and remembered that once, long ago, he had known Ben Solo before Snoke had stolen him away, and Poe had loved him. “Return to me,” he said, “for I miss you also.”

At this, Kylo Ren was shaken, and his expression turned stormy and unsure. In his face Poe saw the visage of a man he’d thought long dead and gone, but who now stood before him resurrected, and it made Poe’s heart ache with sudden longing, and his past anger was undone. But still, Ren refused, saying: “I will not go with you, for I have no family, and here I am my own master. I am no longer Ben Solo, and any sentiment I may have once held for you is long dead already.”

In saying this, Kylo Ren found another one of the hidden ysalamir, and in ruthless desperation killed that one too. Poe knew then that his time had run short, for there were the shouts and sounds of marching feet nearby, signalling the First Order’s nearing troops, and only one more ysalamir left to protect Poe from Ren’s devious works. Although it pained greatly him to do so, Poe accepted that again he had failed, and thus a strategic retreat was his best option if he were to survive.

“I have faced you before, Kylo Ren, and and I will face you again,” Poe said, speaking it as a promise. “I will not give up, but instead I will sway your mind, and your heart as well, and you will come home and return to your family, and to me.”

“You may try, but if you do, you will face death,” said Kylo Ren, and lunged forward in attack. However, Poe had indeed set another trap, and without the Force to guide him, he fell into it unawares, and Poe was able to safely escape.

Some time after his return, the Princess wished to speak with him, and hear the results of his trials. When she learned of the danger Poe had faced, and of her son’s embrace of the darkness and his refusal to return, the Princess grew sorrowful. A cloud passed over her, and so like the sun in the night, her hope was hidden from her, and she could not find it. 

“This task I have given you is dangerous, and full of risk,” said the Princess, “and while you have completed many such missions for me before, in this I cannot ask you to help me further. While Snoke was devious and tempted my son astray, I fear now that his curse cannot be undone, and even though in my life I have outlived many griefs, my son Ben Solo will never return to me.”

But while Poe Dameron had seen and faced for himself Kylo Ren’s misdeeds, now he had seen also the evidence that Snoke’s horrible influence could wane and be overcome, and believed more than ever that he could succeed where others had not. “I will do this, as you first asked,” he bravely said, “for I shall not let your hope pass into the night, not when morning may still be on its way. I will return your son to you, for I loved him once, and like you miss him still, and though the times are dark perhaps I shall love him once more.”

At this, the Princess was deeply moved, and embraced him, her hope restored. She gave her blessing and bid him well, saying: “May the Force be with you, my daring Commander. Go forth, and do not fear.”

The third of C-3PO’s passcodes was the most risky and dangerous of them all, but his word given, Poe Dameron could not turn back, and so he prepared himself again to seek out Kylo Ren and bring him home. He knew that he would need help once more, so this time he turned to his most trusted astromech, BB-8, with whom he had endured many adventures.

“My dear friend,” said Poe, “I must call on you to aid me in this task, for the stakes are high and there is no one I can rely upon more.”

But BB-8 was aggrieved at his friend’s request, for Kylo Ren was powerful and his unkindness well-known, and he feared that Poe Dameron would be killed. But Poe spoke again, saying: “I know that the risk is great, but the Princess requires our help, and though you did not know him when he was still kind, I did. I do not fear the binding ties of the past, and I am determined that I will not fear the future and possibility of failure ahead, and so I must try.”

BB-8 had served with Poe for many years, and so through his loyalty, he was swayed.

Together they embarked, donning a disguise and secreting themselves into a stolen ship, that Poe Dameron might appear as a soldier of the First Order and infiltrate Kylo Ren’s flagship. Poe had escaped before from the nefarious _Finalizer,_ though doing so had nearly cost him his life, but to successfully reboard with C-3PO’s code, it required the canny skills of a droid to work. But BB-8 was very clever, and once entrusted the code, he set to the task, and by his deft work they passed in unnoticed. Once they were aboard, Poe concealed his face with the helmet of a First Order pilot, and bid BB-8 hide himself, so that when the time came they could escape quickly, and Poe carried on alone.

Poe did not make it far from the place he had left BB-8 when he found himself surrounded, suddenly and unexpectedly at the mercy of a handful Stormtroopers and their readied blasters. From their midst stepped forward a man, and Poe was alarmed, for this man was none other than the awful General Hux. Though Poe had never before met him to his face, he knew Hux by reputation, and it was known that his bluster outweighed his competence in spades, but his cruelty stretched far beyond the bounds of both.

“Waylay this tresspassor, capture him and prevent his escape, and remove his helmet that his identity may be revealed,” said the General, and several of his soldiers leapt forward to heed his bidding, and Poe was outnumbered and overwhelmed. His disguise was taken for him, and his face exposed, he was immediately recognized, and Hux was elated, for Poe Dameron had proven him a fool in the past and he was hungry for revenge.

“As I thought,” said Hux. “You have shown yourself a fool, Poe Dameron. Did you truly believe that your petty efforts could surpass the technological prowess of the First Order for long? Our advantages are innumerable, our resources sublime, and abilities unmatched. You should not have trusted at any time that your sneaking and you trespassing could go unnoticed, and at last, the consequence of your reckless quest has come to bear, for your informant has been caught, your passcodes exposed, and now you shall too share the fate of all those who dare stand against the First Order.”

In that moment, Poe at last felt the temptation to fear, unfamiliar though it was, for mercy was not the way of the First Order. The possibility of failure loomed, and in his thoughts was the Princess, who had entrusted him with this task, and who would be alone if in this he was unsuccessful. Still, Poe knew he must try.

“I have a message for Kylo Ren,” said Poe, “and I must deliver it to him.”

“Your message will die with you,” Hux said, “for your tricks are known, your tactics exposed, and your schemes shall here be given no quarter. Indeed, you are no hero, and no example nor any martyr will be made of you, and in anonymity and shame shall you expire. So shall the Resistance also pass, in long overdue and yet inevitable time, and in future generations all shall speak of and wonder at the First Order’s glory, and all of your efforts will be proven in vain.”

And then, upon the resolution of this proud utterance, Poe said: "I must deliver my message to Kylo Ren, and I assure you it shall be brief, for I need not the overcompensation of a lengthy speech."

Hux’s expression twisted with distaste and embarrassment, his dignity easily wounded, but before he could orate further, there came a summons, and a moment later a hologram of Kylo Ren materialized, blue-cast and familiar. Despite the sneer on his face the General drew upright and paid the proper obeisance, acknowledging: “Supreme Leader.”

“Bring the rebel to me,” said Kylo Ren. “I have promised him death, and by my own hand I will grant it.”

Thwarted and humiliated, Hux waved forward his men, saying, “So shall it be done. Bind him.”

His fate laid before him, Poe’s hands were bound before him, and blaster to his back, he was pushed forward and further into the depths of the ship, until they came to the place which Kylo Ren had taken as his seat of command. From the high seat which he had chosen, Kylo Ren observed the approach with a sharp eye, and Poe searched in his face for any sign that he could be moved. His hunt incomplete, a jab to his back and the heavy hand of a Stormtrooper took Poe to his knees, in some mocking semblance of a bow he would not otherwise have chosen.

“You should not have come to this place,” said Kylo Ren, “but given up your foolish hope and fruitless venture. For your persistence the only reward is death, as I have warned you.”

“I do not fear death,” said Poe Dameron, ever brave, “nor do I fear you.”

“This was your first mistake,” said Kylo Ren, and he rose and moved to draw his lightsaber, but Poe interrupted before the act could come complete.

Poe said, “I come regardless, with a message you must hear, and I will speak first, before you do this thing.”

“Let us have none of this, Supreme Leader,” said Hux in the way of a command, for he had already wearied of this exchange, and wished to see Poe dead. “He is merely buying time, and–” And then he spoke no more, for Kylo Ren was strong with the Force, and could freeze a man’s breath in his lungs with a phantom hand.

“Begone,” said Ren, and Hux and his men retreated with bitterness and haste. Kylo Ren then looked at Poe and continued, saying: “I have no interest in your message, for always you say the same thing, and I have already given you my answer.”

“And yet I must still ask again, for I cannot forsake hope,” said Poe, raising his eyes and setting his jaw, for he would not be deterred. “And my hope is that you would master your fear and leave this place, burn all ties with the First Order, and renounce the Dark Side. Come away and return to your family, for you are dearly missed.”

“I have no family,” Kylo Ren said, stepping forward with a heavy stride. “For I killed Han Solo, my father, and my uncle is dead, and so is my mother. None are left who may claim that relation.”

At this Poe was greatly surprised, and did not conceal it, saying: “That is untrue, for the Princess, your mother, is well and full of health, and it is on her bidding that I have come.”

Kylo Ren grew angry at these words, for grief – both natural and of his own making, pushed aside but deeply felt – haunted his steps and all his days. “That is impossible, for I saw this thing myself, with my own two eyes, and thus I know her to be dead even though it was not by my own hand.”

“You did not see all,” said Poe, more gently than before. “I assure you, though the attempt was great and her life nearly forfeit, she has survived and prevailed. My heart is true, and the Princess, your mother, is alive.”

At this, Kylo Ren was shaken, and his expression turned stormy and unsure, and his determination and his fury both faltered. Seeing his visage, Poe’s heart was moved, and the spectre of failure finally began to fade. Cognizant of the danger but much resolved, Poe rose to his feet, that he may look in the eye the man he had once known.

“Your family misses you, Ben Solo, and so do I. Come away with me, and let us leave this place together,” he said.

“I am the Supreme Leader, and master of the First Order,” said Kylo Ren, and his voice shook. He raised his lightsaber before him, level with Poe’s heart, and yet he did not ignite it. “This is my place, and I shall not be swayed by sentiment.”

“You are Ben Solo, and this is not your home,” said Poe. He looked then at the weapon in Kylo Ren’s hand, and then again his face. Disregarding the danger, he stepped forward until he had bypassed the reach of Ren’s arm and stood close, near enough that were his arms not bound they could have embraced.

“Don’t,” said Kylo Ren, but he was no longer angry, but wholly unsure.

“Come home,” Poe said regardless. “Let your mind be swayed, and your heart also, and return to me. Though the bonds of our past were frayed and broken, perhaps they may be renewed again.”

And saying this, Poe Dameron lifted himself up and pressed his mouth to Kylo Ren’s in a kiss. Kylo Ren shuddered and gasped, for the consequences of his unkindness and his evil misdeeds had been a great and terrible loneliness, and all of Snoke’s devious lies had bound him to hopelessness and fear, and lingered still like a curse. From this he was shaken, and the warm sunlight of Poe’s conviction and courage chased away the malediction at last and showed to him finally the course that he should take. Thus decided, the lightsaber fell from his hand and clattered to the floor.

“I hear you, and what you have told me lays clear the path by which I must go,” said he. “I will go with you, for you have ensnared me.” And with a gesture he freed Poe of his bindings. In his surprise and joy, Poe seized his face between his loosened hands and kissed him again, for this too he had missed.

“Let us go, then,” Poe said, “and with your power in the Force we may pass unscathed. We will find my friend Beebee-Ate, and a ship in which to escape also, and none of us shall die.”

He agreed, saying: “Come, for I know the ways of this ship and also its patrols, and we shall indeed go unnoticed together.”

And so it was that they made their way unseen through the many passages of the _Finalizer,_ and came then to the control room in which BB-8 had hidden. When the droid saw that Poe was accompanied by the man he had sought, BB-8 was very startled, for he had not truly believed that Kylo Ren’s heart could be moved.

Poe only laughed, and patted the dome that made the droid’s head, before turning to look again at the man at his side. Though he spoke to BB-8, he did not turn his eyes away, for he wished to convey his great affection when he said: “Though the risk of failure was great, the man I once loved has returned to me, so let us go home.”

He made to start again their escape, but BB-8 stopped him, trilling a suggestion with great urgency. Upon hearing it, Poe turned to Ben Solo, who had not long before been known as Kylo Ren, and his eyes were bright and full of daring.

“Beebee tells me that there are many secrets of the First Order contained in the computers of this ship, and that all these things may be revealed, if one knows the way,” he said, and Ben understood, for their youth had been filled with many misadventures together, and he had not forgotten.

“I was the Supreme Leader,” Ben said, “and I know the passcodes to the most confidential data, and also to this ship’s self-destruction programming as well.”

“Show us all these things, and I will kiss you again,” Poe promised, and finally Ben Solo smiled as he had not done in many years, and he did as Poe had asked.

By this method, they were able to escape, and as they left the flagship behind, Ben Solo stood vigil at the viewport and watched as the explosion they had instigated tore the _Finalizer_ into so many pieces, with all of its forces of the First Order still on board. Looking on, he said: “For so many years, I threw my lot in with Snoke and all of his ways, and I performed many evil deeds, and out of fear and anger I did not listen to the warnings in my own heart that I should not do so. I caused great unhappiness, and killed my father, and hurt you also, for in all my ways I was monstrous.”

“This is true,” said Poe. “And for a long while, I was angry with you, and while I have laid that to rest, there may be others yet who carry their displeasure close. But while your power in the Force is great, you are only a man, and so like all men you must bear this past with you, and carry on to the future regardless.”

“That way seems rife with with disappointment,” said Ben, “and with failure also.”

“It does,” agreed Poe, but he was not discouraged. “But there is no law or dictate in existence that says you must do these things alone. You will have your family, which remains, and you will have me, for I loved you once, and I would love you again, if you will have me.”

“I would have that, and you” Ben said, and felt a joy in him that had been long absent. But all of his doubts were not laid to rest yet, and so he spoke again, his voice carried low as though with a secret. “Though I am still afraid,” Ben confessed, though it pained him greatly to do so.

But Poe only smiled, and took his hand and held it fast. “If you have fear, then it can be overcome, for bravery means little if there is never any temptation to fear. If you must fear, then at least have hope, and bravery will come in time.”

Not long after, they came to the place that the Resistance had chosen for a base, and Poe took Ben with him. As they passed through the grounds, many heads turned and many murmured with surprise, for they all knew Kylo Ren and all the terrible things he had done, and few had believed that Poe Dameron could succeed where others had failed. When they came upon the Princess, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, and her eyes turned wet, for she had hoped for many years with no result until now.

Ben approached his mother, his head bowed with regret and self-recrimination, but before he could speak, she stepped forward and embraced him, and they both wept.

“My son, how I’ve missed you,” the Princess said, “and how I’ve hoped for your return all these long years.” She drew him him away, that they may speak in private. Many hours passed, and when they took pause at last, the Princess came, and found Poe, and took his hands in hers.

“Poe Dameron, you have undertaken this dangerous task, and despite much risk, you did not fail as others did before. You have restored my son, and my hope as well, as I could not do on my own,” she said.

“You asked it of me, and so it was done,” said Poe, and then he continued saying: “And what’s more, I have brought with him the means by which we may end this war and restore peace again.”

This said, he withdrew a datacard, on which BB-8 had put all of the information which Ben’s passcodes had allowed them, and when the Princess understood what it was, she was greatly pleased.

And so by that means, it did indeed come to pass, some time and many battles later, that the Resistance did triumph, and the remnants of the First Order were scattered and extinguished. Peace was revived in the galaxy, and all of Snoke’s cruelty and unkind works were undone. The love between Poe Dameron and Ben Solo was restored, and the Princess lived out the rest of her days with joy and great happiness, much as it was in her youth.

And the Force was with them all.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments deeply appreciated! 
> 
> Written for the KnightPilot Exchange 2018. Check out the other contributions [here!](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/kpexchange2018/works)


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